Financial evidence
How much money will you need?
Course fees
You will normally need to pay a deposit of £3,250 towards your tuition fees in order to be issued with a CAS. You can deduct this £3,250 plus any extra fees you have paid towards your tuition fees from the total amount you need to show for your fees.
Any payments you have made towards your tuition fees will be stated on your CAS.
For example if you are applying for a Student visa to study our Advanced Level Foundation Programme:
Your fees are £23,385
You have paid the £3,250 towards your fees
Your CAS states: Tuition fees due: £23,385, Tuition fees paid: £3,250
Therefore you must have £20,135 in your account for your remaining tuition fees plus the funds for your living costs.
Living costs
You must have enough money to support yourself while you are studying in the UK.
To study at Kings London you will need to show £1,334 for each month of your course for a maximum of nine months, therefore you will need £12,006.
To study at Kings Oxford, Bournemouth or Brighton you will need £1,265, therefore you must have a total of £11,385 for your living costs.
For example:
If you are planning to start an Advanced Level Foundation Programme at Kings London in September, you will need to show £12,006. (£1,334 × 9 months) for your living costs.
You can pay a maximum of £1,334 in advance that can be deducted from the living costs and stated on the CAS, therefore you will need to show £10,672 in your account for living costs
Total funds needed in your bank or savings account for this example:
Tuition fees £20,135 plus living costs £10,672 = £30,807
The 28-day rule
Any money you use for maintenance (tuition fees and living costs) must be in your account for a consecutive period of 28 days. During the 28 day period this money cannot drop below the required amount for even one day or you will not meet UKVI requirements and your application will be refused.
Financial evidence
The money you are required to show can be in your bank account, your parent’s account or in a joint account with anyone as long as you are named on the account. If you are relying on funds in your parent’s account, you must include the following documents in support of your application:
- a letter from you parent/s confirming that you are their child and that they will be paying all of your course fees and living costs: see a sample of this letter
- your original birth certificate (with an original translation if not in English)
- your parent/s' financial documents
If a family member other than your parents is paying your fees, they will need to transfer the required amount into your bank account or use a joint account with your name on it, as their bank statements will not be accepted. If you are living with relatives, you will still have to show the full living costs. Financial evidence from anyone other than you or your parents will not be accepted by the UKVI.
The only exception is if you have received official financial sponsorship for your full fees and living costs from a recognised sponsor such as your Government.
Required documents
The UKVI is very specific about the documentary evidence they will accept. There are strict requirements that these documents must meet.
The key documents that are accepted by the UKVI include:
- Bank statements
- Building society pass books
- Letter from the bank: see a sample letter
- Overseas account statements/letters (regulated by the official regulatory body for the country the institution is in and where the money is held)
- Letter from a financial institution regulated by the Financial Services Authority
- Letter confirming a loan. The loan must be provided by your national government, their state or regional government, a government-sponsored student loan company or part of an academic or educational loan scheme.